Pit bulls are perceived as mean and aggressive, at least by those who aren't familiar with the breed. But this stereotype is unwarranted.
These prejudices against the breed are what provoked a Honolulu International Airport security officer to shoot a pit bull on March 28. The two-year old canine, named Kaiele, died on the spot.
This is an example of how pit bulls have been affected by being stereotyped as one of the most dangerous breeds of dog, and it needs to stop now. Pit bulls are not inherently violent, instead they are taught to be violent by irresponsible owners.
The loss of a family member
Leisha Ramos, the dog's owner, was traveling from the Big Island to O‘ahu last Tuesday. Ramos’ boyfriend, Jadd Matsuda, picked up Kaiele from Aloha Cargo before getting Ramos and tied the dog to a palm tree as they waited for her.
When a Securitas officer approached the two and told them to leave, Kaiele got loose and was promptly killed.
“The next thing you know, my dog is shot on the floor and I’m screaming because blood is gushing out, and I have my daughter in my hands,” Ramos told KHON2.
Securitas issued a statement on Tuesday explaining that the officer shot the dog in self-defense. According to Securitas, after Kaiele had gotten loose, he chased the security officer and lunged at him. This prompted the security officer to shoot Kaiele in the forehead.
Pit bulls are not at fault
It is because of some irresponsible owners, such as Michael Vick, who have raised their pit bulls to fight and abused them, that these creatures are stereotyped as monsters and killers.
But is every pit bull born with a murderous mindset? The answer is no.
“All dogs, including pit bulls, are individuals.” wrote the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). “Treating them as such, providing them with the care, training and supervision they require, and judging them by their actions and not by their DNA or their physical appearance is the best way to ensure that dogs and people can continue to share safe and happy lives together.”
The difference between an aggressive dog and a friendly dog is whether they were raised and trained through cruelty and abuse or love and care.
Another false accusation made against pit bulls is that they have one of the highest bite rates. The American Veterinary Medical Association assured that “it is not possible to calculate a bite rate for a breed … [because] mixed breeds are commonly described as purebreds … [and] the actual number of bites that occur in a community is not known … if they did not result in serious injury.”
Overcome fear with understanding
The stereotype of pit bulls as being overtly aggressive has caused several states, including Oregon and Washington, to enact breed-specific legislation that bans the breed.
Over 2,800 pit bulls are euthanized every day, translating to one million pits being put down per year as a result of the stigma surrounding the breed.
This is a thoughtless and unnecessary act institutionalized by people’s fears and misunderstandings. If there is anyone to blame for these dogs’ violent behavior, it is their owners.
But Leisha Ramos was a good owner whose pit bull was pointlessly murdered because of someone else’s fear and prejudice.
“My dog was a good dog,” Ramos told KHON2. “There was a lot of people on the side saying the dog wasn’t aggressive and he wasn’t. He runs away from Chihuahuas. I can take him to parks. I lay my daughter next to him.”
If the world is to ever understand that pit bulls are not in themselves a threat, then people must first evaluate their own prejudices before judging these dogs.
(This article has been published on Ka Leo.)